'Brazen brothers' drive around in stolen truck, shoot into occupied vehicles, deputies say

Both suspects charged with 6 counts of attempted murder

Shawn Whitten.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Two brothers were arrested Friday after crashing a stolen truck and fleeing the scene, according to officials from the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Deputies said the pair had used the truck to shoot at occupied vehicles, one of which had three children inside.

Shawn Whitten, 25, and Brett Crosby, 19, were charged with six counts of attempted murder with a firearm, in addition to other charges. The two are accused of shooting three cars in the Auburndale and Winter Haven area.

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Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said one of the vehicles the two shot into contained a woman and her children, ages 6, 5 and 1. Only drivers were in the other vehicles that were shot into, Judd said. No one was injured.

"Thanks to our cooperation with the Auburndale Police Department, a tight perimeter and people who saw something and immediately said something, we took these brazen brothers into custody before they killed someone. It is a miracle nobody was shot," Judd said.

Just prior to the shootings, officials said the Auburndale Police Department received calls about someone driving a black pickup truck and waving a firearm out of it in the area of Alberta Avenue and PK Avenue.

A call was received about a single-vehicle crash of a black pickup truck at East Carroll and Palmer roads, where the two occupants fled on foot, deputies said.

Deputies established a perimeter and began a K-9 track. During the track, deputies were told the suspects were possibly the same two men who were seen fighting at a house on Palmer Road, officials said.

The deputies responded to the Palmer Road house, found Whitten and took him into custody, officials said.

The deputies then went into a bedroom to find Crosby. Officials said Crosby was found underneath a blanket and unresponsive.

Crosby was treated, regained consciousness and was taken to a hospital, officials said.

Whitten, who deputies said has an extensive criminal history, was booked into the Polk County Jail, while Crosby was taken to a local hospital due to a suspected drug overdose. Officials said Crosby will be taken to the Polk County Jail once he is released.


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